Life of Howell Harris—The Welsh Reformer

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Howel Harris, with Daniel Rowland, were two of the Great Awakening’s pioneer preachers, who laid the foundations of the Calvinistic Methodist movement in Wales. Whereas Daniel Rowland ministered mainly in one place, at Llangeitho, Howel Harris, who was never ordained, itinerated all over Wales as a lay ‘exhorter’ from his home in Trevecca. During his varied activities he established the controversial Christian community at Trevecca. He co-operated with the Countess of Huntingdon in establishing a college to train students for the Christian ministry and set up societies all over the principality. His life was not without controversy however, and a rift developed between him and Daniel Rowland, which had an adverse effect upon the revival for some years; but Harris, without a doubt, was a man greatly used by God in the furtherance of the gospel during the 18th century revival in Wales. He died in 1773 and, according to the Countess of Huntingdon, his funeral was attended by 20,000 people, surely revealing a nation’s esteem of this great man.

The author of this volume, Rev. Hugh Joshua Hughes, was born in Swansea in 1846, and lived a long and busy life, dying at the age of 91 in 1937. He appears to have been one of the denomination’s early historians, and was deeply interested in Howel Harris. This biography was originally published in 1892.

“The contribution of Howel Harris to the spiritual life of Wales, and his influence upon generations of Welsh people, still has not been fully assessed. The great awakening of the 18th century is surely one of the most exciting periods in the annals of the Christian church in England and Wales, and Howel Harris, with Daniel Rowland, were two of its pioneer preachers, who laid the foundations of the Calvinistic Methodist movement in Wales. Whereas Daniel Rowland ministered mainly in one place, at Llangeitho, Howel Harris, who was never ordained, itinerated all over Wales as a lay ‘exhorter’ from his home in Trevecca. During his varied activities, he established the controversial Christian community at Trevecca. He formed a militia from this community, and joined the British army, because of the fear of a French invasion. He co-operated with the Countess of Huntingdon, in establishing a college to train students for the Christian ministry, and set up societies all over the principality. His life was not without controversy however, and a riff developed between him and Daniel Rowland, which had an adverse effect upon the revival for some years; but Harris, without a doubt, was a man greatly used by God in the furtherance of the gospel during the 18th century revival in Wales. He died in 1773, and according to the Countess of Huntingdon, his funeral was attended by 20,000 people, revealing surely, a nation’s esteem of this great man.

“As yet, little of any comprehensive value has been written upon the life of Howel Harris. Apart from books which have been long out of print, e.g. J Thickens. ‘Howel Harris in London’ (Welsh); and R. Bennett ,’Early l.ife of Howel Harris’; E.Morgan, ‘Life and Times of Howel Harris’, and various articles in both English and Welsh, in historical journals, a definitive appraisal of his life and work is still long overdue. However, in the meantime, we are indebted to the Tentmaker Publications for reprinting this biography by the Rev. H.J.Hughes.

“The author of this volume, Rev. Hugh Joshua Hughes, was born in Swansea in 1846, and he lived a long and busy life, dying at the age of 91 in 1937. He was ordained in 1872, and then held pastorates within the Calvinistic denomination in Pembrokeshire, Laugharne, Caernarvon and finally at Dowlais. He appears to have been one of the denomination’s early historians, and was deeply interested in Howel Harris. Apart from this volume, he published also a volume of sermons and a brief memoir on Rev. David Howell of Trinity Chapel, Swansea. The biography of Howel Harris was published by Rev. H.J. Hughes in 1892, and therefore, it is with gratitude that this book has been made available once more to the serious reading public.”

—R.B.Higham, Llansamlet, Swansea.

Additional Information

Weight

1 kg

Binding

brown library cloth with sewn sections

Pages

404

Cover

hb

Author

Hugh J Hughes

ISBN

978-1-899003-18-1

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